Sealing means for door bottoms



1386- 22, 1953 R. E. UPHOFF SEALING MEANS FOR DOOR BOTTOMS II I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIII Filed March 25, 1949 INVENTOR. ficzo/zl [fa/Z0277 Dec. 22, 1953 R. E. UPHOFF 2,663,057

SEALING MEANS FOR DOOR BOTTOMS Filed March 25, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. %!,0& 2740/20/ 7? BY W Patented Dec. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 25, 1949, Serial No. 83,377

14 Claims. 1

My invention relates, generally, to weatherstripping and it has particular relation to sealing meansfor door bottoms.

Fire ordinances or codes in most municipalities require that entrance doors in commercial buildings swing outwardly. Such ordinances usually relate to hotels, restaurants, retail stores of all kinds, apartment buildings, office buildings, factories, garages, and other buildings open to the public. It is well known that these entrance doors are exposed to the weather and that, when made of wood, are subject to swelling and shrinking as changes take place in the relative humidity and they are subjected to snow, hail, sleet, rain, sunshine, etc.

It is well known, of course, that doors of the type which hinge or swing along one upright edge close against a stop or jamb. The stop or jamb overlaps the door andcuts out drafts on the top and sides without requiring that the door be fitted too tightly in the doorv frame. With aproperly fitted door there is no friction between the door and the frame at the top or sides. However, the construction at the bottom of the door is different.

At the bottom the door moves relative to a threshold or, in its'absence, to the fioor. At this location friction is present in any swinging door and it is for that reason that a definite clearance must be provided between the bottom surface of the door and the upper surface of the threshold or the floor. From time to time, when the door swells or its hinges sag,'it rubs on the threshold or floor in opening and closing and, in order to prevent this action, it is necessary to remove the.

door and trim off a portion of its bottom. For this reason it is not feasible to treat the bottom surface of a door with oil, stain, varnish, or the like, to protect it from moisture which can be done for the other door surfaces.

When rain, snow, sleet, or hail beat against the door, the resulting moisture runs down the outer surface thereof and some of it tends to flow over the threshold to the inside of the building. This causes the door to swell and stick-in addition to causing an accumulation of water inside the door. Snow tracked or blown between the threshold or floor and the bottom of the door melts and acts in much the same way. Because of the clearance which must be left between the bottom of the door and the threshold or floor, dust, dirt, and cold air may enter the building at this point. Usuallythere is a draft between the bottom of the door and the threshold or floor even though weather-stripping ofthe prior art is employed therebetween,

Accordingly, among the objects of my invention are: To deflect rain, snow, etc., away from the bottom of a door; to provide a weather tight seal for the bottom of a door; to have a minimum of friction between the bottom of the door and the adjacent surface of the threshold or floor when the door is swung to and from the closed position while maintaining a weather tight seal; to employ a sheet of readily deformable material to make the seal; to fasten the sheet and shape the same in such manner that the major portion of it rolls along the surface of the threshold or floor during the opening or closing movement of the door; and to contain the sheet in such manner that it is not subject to sharp bending likely to cause the same to rupture.

Other objects of my invention will, in part, be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

My invention is disclosed in the embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and it comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of my invention, reference can be had to the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in front elevation, of the lower portion of a conventional door and door frame with my invention applied to the door bottom;

Figure 2 is a detail sectinal view of a portion of the door bottom and one embodiment of my improved sealing means therefor;

Figure 3 is a view, similar to Figure 2, and illustrating how the sheet of rubber-like sealing material is deformed in engagement with the threshold when the door is closed;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the parts making up the sealing means illustrated in the preceding figures, the parts being shown in disassembled relation;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view of another embodiment of my invention; and

- Figure 7 is a view, similar to Figure 6, and illustrating how the sheet of rubber-like material is deformed when in contact with the threshold with the door in the closed position.

Referring now particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be noted that the reference character Hi designates a conventional door which may be formed of wood. The door NJ is arranged to be swung by hinges (not shown) in a door frame which includes a pair of upright door frame members H. The door it is arranged to swing relative to a threshold l2. However, it will be understood that the threshold 22 often is omitted and provision is made for the door it to swing only over the floor, the floor usually sloping away from the. door so .as to provide 'a threshold effect.

In Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings there is illustrated, generally, at 13 one embodiment of my improved door sealing means. It includes a channel, shown generally at. Hi, which may be formed of corrosion resistant material, such as stainless steel or aluminum. The channel has a central fiat portion l5 which is arranged, as

the width of the central portion t5 exceeds the thickness of the door H1- The channel M isprovidedwith downturned and outflared sides i ii. The outer surfaces thereof serve to deflect moisture which may fall on one or the other of the sidesoftheu'door is: away from the bottom surface 1-6 thereof. These sides also perform additional functions which will be described hereinafter.

The outer edges 59 of the sides [8 areturned inwardly so as to form grooves 29 therealong. as shown more clearly in Figure 5. Phese grooves are provided for receiving edges 230i strips 2 3 of stainless steel, aluminum, or the like, which have one portion that extends entirely along the inner surface of the: sides is as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Another'portion 26; of each of the strips 24' extends alongjtheundersideof. the central portion l5 of. the channel Hiand isparallel thereto and to the bottom I6 of the 'door in. The inner edges 2.! of theseportions 26 of the strips 2c are turned inwardly 'so as to provide grooves 2 3. The grooveszli are provided for. receiving the inturned edges 29 of, a, sheet 30, of relatively thin rubber-like materiaL. The edges 2:? are deformed ontothetedges 2B of;.the, sheet '38 so as to grip thesame between them "and. the pertions'26 of the strips 2.4;

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 the edges '25 of. the sheet 39 are held parallel to the bottom surface it OfTthE' dODI ID'. These limitedzportions or edges 2.52 of the. sheet 3S4aregrippeld inwardly of the outwardly bowed sides 3| of the sheet 3% so that the intermediate portion. 32 thereof, which is arched downwardly to. engage the. upper surface of the threshold I2 or a, floor, can roll with respect thereto when the 'door H) is swung to or from th'eclosed position.

.It will be understoodthat the sheet'fill ofrelatively thin rubber-like materiaLQpreferabIy a good grade of gasketimaterial', is assembled; with the strips 24 as a unitary construction whichzii's illustrated in Figure: 5. After the channel. M

has been secured in place along. the bottom sur- "33may be employed. As shown in Figure l the cleats 33 extend transversely of'the bottom or central portion [5 of? the channel I4 and are'held themanner described hereinbefore.

4 in place by the screws H. The cleats 33 are assembled with the channel l4 and they are sumciently resilient so that the strips 24 can be slid therepast. The cleats 33 then frictionally grip the strips 24, as shown in Figure 3, and hold the same in position.

The shape of the intermediate portion 32 of the sheet 30 in the door closed position is illustrated in Figure 3. It will be noted that a substantial portion. of it rests flat against the upper surface of the. threshold I2. v Because of the fact that the sheet 30 is readily deformable, it shapes itself to any irregularities which may be present in the upper surface of the threshold 32 so as to 1 provideaweather tight seal therebetween.

Now when the door ID is swung to the open position; for example moved in the direction indicated thearrow 34 in Figure 3, the intermediate portion 32 has rolling rather than slidin engagement with the upper surface of the threshold IZ. The reason for this is that the sheet isxfastenedronly along its; inturned edges 29 and otherwise isiunrestrained except asit is confined by the sides 18 of the channel. [4. Thus, as the door-1:0 swings'in the direction indicated by the arrow '34:, the. left hand side 31 of the sheet engages the left hand outer edge P9 of the left hand side 18 of the-"channel M while the left hand-side of. the intermediateportion-tz rolls out fromv underneath the lowermost edge of the side 1:8. This: actionisipermittedisince-the right hand side- 31! of the-s'heetBB-is free'to move away from the innersurface'of the-right. hand strip 24. The construction andgproportioning of. parts are such that the 'sheet. 311' of relatively thin rubber-like material is not subjected to any sharp bending which, after repeatedcoperations, might cause the same to crackandsrupture. It will be understood that, when the door Hi is swung in the oppositedirection, :therright-hand side of the intermediate portion: '32: of; the sheet. it rolls out from underneath thelowermostedge of the right hand side: l8 of the-channel l4, while the left ehandsidei-l moves away from or disengages the leftihand s'tripifl.

in Figures Grand '7- .of the drawings another embodiment -;of. the: invention; is illustrated. As 'th'ereshown,.za pair of strips-:40 of stainless steel, aluminium, .or;:the; like, provided for location :along the bottom of'ltheecluor ,lil.v Each strip anextension M ithattextends. upwardly along the opposite surfaces of the bottom of the door l Suitabl'esmeans', such as screws M, may be em- .ployed :to hold :the. extensions- M "in, placev along the :bottom of "the; door; I10. 'formedintegrally: with :an outer layer 42 of a double layer portiorr w'which extends outwardly and =zdownward1y for the. purpose of deflecting Each: extension. 4:! is

moisture. and control-ling the position of the sheet 30 of relativelythin'.rubber like material in An inner layer 414, of 'ea'chtof; the: double 'layer'portions has an; mwardly extendingfl'at portion 45 which is arranged to eengagezlthe Ebottom surface iii of 13118.:"1'1001?:|o'fa,S..JShOWn.. Each portion. 4.5 has an .inturnedredge-dfiwhich is deformedonto the inturned' edge of thesshieet 30.- associatedtherewith for: firictionally gripping the same.

The:functioningr:of. the sealing means illustrated in". Figures: 6;.and-7- issessentially the same described.hereinbeforerforathe sealing means illustrated. in the :preceding figures.

ltvwill-Jzbee apparent that fthe sealing. means il- .lustnatedi in Figures 6.;anda7fis "adaptable, within limitspto idifierent thicknesses. of the door Iii respect thereto insofar as the strips 40 are concerned. 7

Since certain further changes can be made in the foregoing constructions and different embodiments of the invention canbe made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter shown in the accompanying drawings and described hereinbefore shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention: I l. Sealing means for the bottom of a door com prising, in combination, a, sheet of rubber-like material for extending along the bottom of the door with its edges turned inwardly and its intermediate portion arched downwardly to engage a threshold or floor with a rolling action, means for securing the edges of said sheet to said door, and outwardly and downwardly flared flange means for extending along the inner and outer edges of said door and overlying and simultaneously engaging both of the juxtaposed portions of said intermediate portion of said sheet so that the inside of said flange means on the side away from the direction in which the door is moved from one position to another is engaged while the inside of the other flange means is disengaged.

2. Sealing means for the bottom of a door comprising, in combination, outwardly and down; wardly flared flange means for extending along the bottom edges of the door, a sheet of rubberlike material for extending along the bottom of the door with its edges turned inwardly and its intermediate portion arched downward to engage a threshold or floor and arranged to be deformed on contact therewith and to engage said flange means on the side away from the direction in means, and fastening means securing said edges of said sheet in position along said channel means, said arched portion being deformed on contact with a floor or threshold and engageable with the inside of said channel away from the direction in which the door is moved from one position to another and disengageable with the other inside of said channel.

5. Sealing means for the bottom of a door comprising, in combination, channel means for extending along the bottom of the door with the sides thereof flared outwardly and downwardly, a sheet of rubber-like material extending lengthwise of said channel means with its longitudinal edges turned inwardly and its intermediate portion arched downwardly to engage a threshold or floor and its side between said edges and said intermediate portion engaging the respective insides of said channel means, and fastening means securing said edges of said sheet in position along said channel means with a limited portion of said sheet along each edge substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the door, said arched portion being deformed on contact with a floor or threshold and engageable with the side of said channel away from the direction in which the door is moved from one position to another and disengageable with the other side of said channel.

6. Sealing means for the bottom of a door comprising, in combination, a channel for extending along the bottom of the door with the sides there of flared outwardly and downwardly and the edges thereof turned inwardly to form grooves, a

which the door is moved from-one position to a threshold or floor with a rolling action, fastening means for securing a limited portion of said sheet along each edge substantially parallel to the bottom surface of said door and inwardly from the edges thereof, and outwardly and downwardly flared flange means for extending along the inner and outer edges of said door and overlying and simultaneously engaging both of the juxtaposed portions of said intermediate portion of said sheet so that the inside of said flange means on the side away from the direction in which the door is moved from one position to another is engaged while the inside of the other flange means is disengaged.

4. Sealing means for the bottom of a door comprising, in combination, channel means for extending along the bottom of the door with the sides thereof flared outwardly and downwardly so that the outsides thereof can deflect rain and snow from the door, a sheet of rubber-like material extending lengthwise of said channel means with its longitudinal edges turned inwardly and its intermediate portion arched down wardly to engage a threshold or floor andits side between said edges and said intermediate portion engaging the respective insides of said channel sheet of rubber-like material extending lengthwise of said channel with its longitudinal edges turned inwardly and its intermediate portion arched downwardly to engage a threshold or floor, and fastening means securing said edges of said sheet in position along said channel means and slidable in said grooves whereby said sheet and fastening means are separable as a unit from said channel.

'7. Sealing means for the bottom of a door comprising, in combination, a channel for extending along the bottom of the door with the sides thereof flared outwardly and downwardly, and the edges thereof turned inwardly to form grooves, a sheet of rubber-like material extending lengthwise of said channel with its longitudinal edges turned inwardly and its intermediate portion arched downwardly to engage a threshold or floor, fastening means securing said edges of said sheet in position along said channel means and slidable in said grooves whereby said sheet and fastening means are separable as a unit from said channel, and cleat means extending transversely of the bottom of said channel and cooperating with said fastening means to hold the same in place.

8. Sealing means for the bottom of a door comprising, in combination, a channel for extending along the bottom of the door with the sides thereof flared outwardly and downwardly and their edges turned inwardly to form grooves, a sheet of rubber-like material extending lengthwise of said channel with its longitudinal edges turned inwardly and its intermediate portion arched downwardly to engage a threshold or floor, and a fastening strip for each edge of said sheet having a portion extending along the inner surface of the adjacent side of said channel with the edge thereof extending into the groove therealong and another portion extending along the bottom of said channel with its edge turned inwardly to grip frictionally the adjacent edge of said sheet.

9. Sealing means for the bottom of a door comprising, incombination, a channel for extending' along the bottom of the door with the sides thereof flared outwardly and downwardly and their edges turned inwardly to form grooves, a sheet of rubber-like material extending lengthwise of said channel with its longitudinal edges turned inwardly and its intermediate portion arched downwardly to engage a threshold or floor, a fastening strip for each edge of said sheet having a portion extending along the inner surface of the adjacent side of said channel with the edge thereof extending into the groove therealong and another portion extending along the bottom of said channel with its edge turned inwardly to grip frictionally the adjacent edge of said sheet, cleat means extending transversely of the bottom of. said channel and arranged to bear against said inturned edges of said strips to hold the same and said sheet in place.

1.0. Sealing meansv for the bottom of a door comprising, in combination, a pair of strips for extending along the bottom edges of the door each having a downwardly and outwardly extending portion and another portion for extending along and engaging the bottom surface of the door, and a sheet of rubber-like material for ex tending along the bottom of the door with its edges turned. inwardly and secured to said other portions of said strips and its intermediate portion arched downwardly to engage a threshold or floor and arranged to be deformed on contact therewith and to engage the downwardly and outwardly extending portion of the strip on the side away from the direction in which the door is moved from one position to another and to disengage the corresponding, portion of the other strip.

8 said strips having an extension for projecting upwardly along the adjacent verticalsurface of the door to facilitate fastening the same thereto,-and

' a sheet of rubber-like material for extending 1.1,. Sealing means for the bottom of a door comprising, in combination, a pair of strips for extending along the edges of the .doorbottom each having a downwardly and outwardly extending portion and another portion for extending along and engaging the bottom surface of the door with its edge turned back to form a groove, anda sheet of rubber-like material for extending along the bottom of the door with its edges turned inwardly and frictionaily gripped in said grooves and its intermediate portion. arched downwardly to ena. threshold or. floor.

12. Sealing means for the bottom of a door comprising, in combination, a pair of strips for extending along theedgesof thedoor bottom each having a downwardly and outwardly extending portion and. another portion for extending along and engagingthebottom surface, of the door with its edge turned back. to form a groove, each of along the bottom of the door ,with its edges turned inwardly and frictionally gripped in said grooves and its intermediate portion arched downwardly to engage a threshold or floor.

13. Sealing means for the bottom of a door comprising, in combination, a pair of strips for extending along the edges of the door bottom each having a downwardly and outwardly extending portion and another portion for extending along and engaging the bottom surface of the door with its edge turned back to form a groove, each of said strips having an extension for projecting upwardly from its downwardly and outwardly extending portion along the adjacent vertical surface of the door to provide for fastening the .same thereto, and a sheet of rubber-like material for extending along the bottom of the door with its edges turned inwardly and frictionally gripped in said grooves and its intermediate portion.archeddownwardly toengage a threshold or floor.

14. Sealing means for the bottom of a door comprising, in combination, a pair of strips for extending along the edges of the door bottom each having a double layer downwardly and outwardly extending portion with one layer for projecting upwardly along the adjacent vertical surface of the door to facilitate fastening the same thereto and the other layer for extending along and engaging the bottom surface of the door with its edge turned back to form a groove, and .a sheet of rubber-like material for extending along the bottomof thedoor with its edges turned inwardly and'frictionally gripped in said grooves and its intermediate portion arched downwardly to engage a threshold or floor.

RALPH E. UPHOFF.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

